Method of forming tubes of celluloid and the like



y 5, 1932- s. A. NEIDICH 1,866,168

METHOD OF FORMING TUBES O F CELLULOID AND LIKE I Filed Feb. 11, 1929 152M05 /9. Ai /01c,

Patented July 5, 1932 UNITED STATES SAMUEL ALNEIDICH, or EDGEWA'IEB- PARK, NEW JERSEY METHOD OF FORMING TUBES OF cELLUIioIDlA'ND THE LIKE 7 Application filed Februaryil, 1929. Serial No. 339,251 f My invention relates to products of cellulose, such as celluloid, cellulose nitrate,cellulose acetate, and the like, In accordance with the ordinary methods of manufacture, such products,.forcommerce, are primarily formed in substantially plane rectangular moldedslabs 5" x 21 x 51"; commercial sheets of celluloid being shaved from such slabs, of any desired thickness, and trimmed 1 to 20" x 50". For most (commercial uses, such slabs are formed from celluloid of a uniform color thruout their mass. However, there is a limited demand for celluloid presenting a mosaic appearance, and slabs for that use are formed of an aggregate of initially separatepieces ofedifi erent colors or textures of celluloid or the like which are joined by vcompressing the aggregate while the material is softened with any, suitable solvent. For instance, acetone foncelluloid and cellulose nitrate, and ethyl acetate, or a mixture of alcohol and ether forcellulose acetate. I

Perhaps the principal use of such mosaic materials is for the tubular bodiesand caps for fountain pens, pencils, and the like.

Such tubes may be formed byrolling comparatively thin sheets shaved from a slab of the aggregate of the different pieces above contemplated, but, as such material is more or less translucent, the mosaicappearance of the outer convolution of such tubes isfblurred by the dilferent arrangement of the pieces in the contiguous convolutions. Therefore, it

' is the usual practice to form such tubes, of mosaic appearance, by cuttingsuch slabs into bars and turning the outer surface thereof to cylindrical form and boring such bars in coaxial relation with their'outersurfaces. It 40 is obvious that such a complicated method of manufacture is extremely costly. For in stance, such mosaic materia'hin its primary 7 form, costs approximately five times as much F as theordinary material of uniform coloror texture, and fountain pens includingholders and caps of the turned and bored type cost from $7.50 to $10.00 each, retail. '1 Therefore, it is the purp my invention to produce celluloid j and the like, having such mosaic or otherjpattern apliam Mendel, of which I am the assigne'e.

, commercial sheetsfurnished by the manuose and effect of,

able

pearance in the completed articlefbut at minimum cost, in" comparison with the'cost of such articles made in the manner aforesaid characteristic of the prior art. As hereinafter described, it is characteristic of my invention that celluloid or the like, of'uniform color ortexture, or'both, made by the least costly method and means known to the prior art, are caused to present the desired mosaic appearance by dyeing or printing; withmovable type, electrotypes, engraved, etched, or lithographic plates; drawing, painting, photographingyror otherwise markingthe material, in the form of sheets which maybe rolled, as aforesaid, to formztubes of the desired diameter;- the portion of the sheet thus decoratively marked being only suflicient to form' one convolution of such asheet in such'atube, Y is a Celluloid andthe like materials, decoratively Imarked with imprints of dye, are broadly claimed in application (18728)' Serial No. 329,686 filed J anuary 2, 1929 by Wil Moreover, sheets'of'celluloid andthe like 5,

including regions "of different kinds of material'as hereinafter described and the method o of making the same, are disclosed and claimed in mycopending application (15628') Serial No. 319,272 filed November 14', 1928. 1

Upon attempting to form such marked regions with boundaries extending parallel with'the axis of the tube; I dis'coveredfthat there are slight differences in thioknesscof the facturer as of a commercially stated certain nominal size. For instance, sheets thus nominally .010 thick range from .009" to 1011" thick and, when rolled upon a mandrel of a standard size to form suchtubes;- thepattern -designedfor sheets .010 thick overlapped in the tube if the sheet'happened to be ofless thickness, and failed to'meet at its boundaries upon the circumference of the tube if'of greater thickness thanthe co'mmer' cially stated nominal thickness; such" mismatching of thepattern being obvious" byblank orblurred portions ofthe tubes, which were, thus rendered commercially" obj ectionmo Therefore, the object and effect of my present invention is to so arrange the pattern of the marked region as to compensate for such irregularities in thickness of the sheets and consequent location of the boundaries of the pattern in the tube. As hereinafter described, the essential feature of my invention is that opposite edges of the'marked region, which are boundaries thereof extending transversely to the length of the sheet, have complementary', respectively recessed aiidextended portions; whereby irregularity in relative locationof said edges in the'tube is rendered inconspicuous and, consequently, negligible. As hereinafter described, such complementary boundaries of the marked regionjof the sheet may be similarly waved, sothat the circumferentially projecting portions of one boundary extend i-ntothe circumferentially recessed portions of the other boundary. ,7 7 .Moreove r,- as. hereinafter described, in using sheets including different materials in different regions, to wit, plain material for the inner portion ofv the tube and fancy materal fortlie outer portion thereof, or with transparent material for the outer convolutions and fancy material for inner convolutions visible thru said transparent material;

- a decorative pattern mark characterized by such an irregular boundary may be located atthe junction between difierent materials in theisheet, so as to render such junction inconspicious and practically invisible. Myinvention includes the various. novel features ofthe method and means hereinafter described.

' In said drawing; ap'lan viewofasheet of celluloid or the like, including a deco.- raltivel-y marked region having irregular ,beundarie's in accordance with my invention. V Fig.- II is a plan view ofasheet of celluloid or the like,.including different regions of .difi'erent material; with the decorative. pattern? mark extending across the junction thereef.

Fig. is a perspective view of a tube having-adecorative mark thereon in accordance with my 'IH-YQH'CIOIL 7 of the sheet,is preferably such as toform one convolution in the completed tube When qsuch a sheet is rolled-in tubular form, any

irregularity in lapping. said edges 3' and lis i rendered inconspicuous by the complemenv tary character of said edges. For instance, as shown in Fig. III, altho the decorative marks 6 are at one boundary of the dyed region and the decorative marks 7 are at the other boundary of said region, the junction between said boundaries, which I have indicated by a dotted line 8 in Fig. III, is in fact renderedinconsp-icuous and practically invisible.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 11, the sheet 9, of celluloid or the like, includes a region 10 of fancy material, for instance, whatisknown as pearl celluloid, and a region of other material, for instance',"what is known as pearl celluloid, and 12 .indicates thevjunction line between said different 'm'aterials. By placing the marked region 13 so aslto overlap said junctionline 12,;such junction is rendered practically invisible in the completed tube. In other words, in the form of my invention shown in Fig. II, the irregular boundaries 14: and 15 of the decorated region 13, which are respectivel above described: ous and practically.negligible'any irregular ity in the location of that marked'region recessed and extended as" not only render. inconsplcuwith respect 'to theouter surface of the tube, a

but the location of said region 13 also serves to render inconspicuous and practically neg-' ligible any irregularities inthe junction 12-. Incidentally, thevextension of the trans parent portion 11 of the tube over' the fancy portion 10 enhances the ornamental appear anceofthe latter. i 1 1 here'fore l do not desire to limit myself to the precise details'of construction and arrangement and method of procedure herein set forth, as it is obvious that various-modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the essential features of my invention,, as defined in'the appended claims. Ida- 1. The method of forming a tube of cellulos ic material presenting. a pattern of visibly contrasting regions at its outersurface which includes decoratively marking a region of the material of said tube wherein the marked region boundary includes opposite edges which have complementary, respectively recessed and extended, portions; whereby irregularity in lapping said edges is rendered V inconspicuous and consequently negligible,

2. .A- method asfin claim :1, wherein the boundary. of the, marked region extends obliquely with reference to the axis of the tube.-

r 3. A celluloid and the likeproduct, pre- I .uct in complementary relation.

4.. A. productiasin', claim a, w erein the boundaries of the marked region extend ohiquely with reference to the axis of the tu e.

5. A product as in claim 3, formed of a primarily plane sheet, including difierent materials in difierent regions, and with the marked regions extending over the junction between said different materials; whereby, said junction is concealed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Burlington, New Jersey, this 24th day of January, 1929.

SAMUEL A. NEIDIGH. 

